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

Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge

Mosca Mye lives in a precarious world full of political and religious complications. There are dozens of candidates to be the next monarch (although the appointed committee is taking so long to decide that some of the candidates have died and been replaced by children or grandchildren) and there are even more deities presiding over every facet of life. Meanwhile Guilds maintain order amidst the chaos including the Stationer's Guild which must approve any written publications. Although her scholarly father died when she was very young, he taught Mosca to read (a rare skill) and infected her with a love of language. When Mosca ends up tagging along with an odd fellow who has many secrets and uses interesting words, she and her goose, Saracen, discover that they've ended up in the middle of an adventure.

This was an interesting story. The plot is somewhat complex and full of political intrigue. The characters are fairly realistic, although the world is just odd enough that it takes some getting used to. I had a few issues with this story: for one thing, it's supposed to be horribly strange that Mosca can read (and people have strange reactions to any written word not approved by the Guild) but it's surprisingly easy for her to buy written tracts and no one seems to question it; it seems to attempt a commentary on censorship, but it's all rather heavy-handed or vague enough to be confusing and a little annoying. Also, the story tends to plod; although it's clear that the author loves language and likes to play with it (which is refreshing), the writing is not pretty, mostly just tedious. Overall, I'm not a huge fan - this wasn't a bad book, but I didn't enjoy it very much. To be fair, however, I don't usually enjoy 'political intrigue' stories, but fantasy readers who do might want to give this book a chance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spirit Fox, Lady in Gil, or Howl's Moving Castle

The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Stories by Gail Carson Levine & Half-Human edited by Bruce Coville


The Fairy's Return and other Princess Stories is actually a collection of novellas which are all published separately as The Princess Tales: The Fairy's Mistake, The Princess Test, Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep, Cinderellis and the Glass Hill, For Biddle's Sake, and The Fairy's Return. All of these stories are retellings or reminiscent of fairy tales set in a fictional kingdom. I enjoyed this book; the stories are short enough to read quickly and then put down, but longer than most 'short stories.' The plots are definitely creative and interesting takes on fairytale elements although the stories do seem to be geared toward younger readers and are not very sophisticated or complex. I would recommend this book to fantasy readers who enjoy fairy tales or who are looking for short, quick reads.


Half-Human is a collection of short stories about 'half-humans' including gorgons, mermaids, selkies, and even a tree that becomes a man by authors including Bruce Coville, Tamora Pierce, Gregory Maguire and Jane Yolen. I really love this book; the stories are all short enough to read in a few minutes, but they are interesting and well-written. I would absolutely recommend this book to fantasy fans - particularly if you're short on time and need something that you can read in snippets of time. Almost all of them are about half-human children living in the 'real world' so readers who enjoy books about fantasy in the midst of today's world should definitely pick this one up.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: Black Pearls, The Immortals series, Once Upon a Marigold, or The Frog Princess

Spindle's End by Robin McKinley

When the queen finally has a child after years of waiting, the rulers want share their joy with everyone and allow one person from every city, town, or village, to the naming ceremony. Katriona represents the little village of Foggy Bottom. The ceremony is interrupted, however, before the twenty-first godparent can give the little princess a gift: the bad fairy Pernicia places a curse on her which will cause her to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a magical coma. Somehow Kat finds herself carrying the princess home with her. For the next 21 years, Kat and her fairy aunt raise 'Rosie' as their own, hiding her as well as 'ordinariness' can, and hoping that the curse will never come to pass.

This re-telling of Sleeping Beauty is certainly unique. The characters are all well-developed and realistic, as is the magical country where the story takes place. At the same time, this story is incredibly bogged down by McKinley's tendency to describe everything. Particularly at the start of the book, the narrative voice inserts parenthetical comments in nearly every sentence; the end of the book drags on - I almost thought that it would never quite finish. Given this, I would say that this may not be the book for you unless (1) you enjoy re-tellings and want to read them all regardless (and this is an interesting one, I'll admit), or (2) you like very descriptive, somewhat dense books.

The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

When her father dies, Rosalind Hawkins is left with debt and few options. A professor of hers mentions a letter he has received from a man in San Francisco looking for a tutor/governess for his children, but requires particular language skills. As a scholar and doctoral student, Rose has the necessary qualifications and she decides to leave what is left of her life in Chicago to start a new one on the West Coast. She discovers when she arrives that there are no children, but that her position may actually be better than she had hoped.

I absolutely love these re-tellings of fairy tales that Mercedes Lackey does; the books are historical and put Magick in the 'real world' to create 'realistic' ways for fairy tale stories to come about. This one tells the story of Beauty and the Beast with realistic characters and an interesting plot. Although this bears no resemblance to the 'original' it is definitely the same story.

I need to give a brief explanation about where this book falls in the series so that it makes sense. This book is not listed among those of the Elemental Masters series [The Serpent's Shadow (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), The Gates of Sleep (Sleeping Beauty), Phoenix and Ashes (Cinderella), The Wizard of London (The Snow Queen), and Reserved for the Cat (Puss in Boots)] presumably because all of the books in the series take place in England around the same time and the later books reference characters from the early ones. However, I think that this one still belongs at the head of the series in part because it gives a more thorough introduction to the 'Magickal' world than the others do. I don't think readers would be confused by not reading this one first, but I do think it helps.

I definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans, particularly those who like re-tellings or stories about magic in the 'real world'/historical fantasy.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Beauty & Rose Daughter, The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Stories, or Wicked Lovely

Erec Rex: The Dragon Eye by Kaza Kingsley

Erec Rex is a twelve-year-old boy living in an unconventional family with his 'mother,' June, who has adopted him and five other children. Erec himself is a bit unusual - he has a glass eye and occasionally experiences compulsions which force him to do things that help people. His life changes forever when one of these 'cloudy thoughts' compels him to go searching for his mother. He meets Bethany, a neglected child subject to her uncle's whims, and she helps him to enter a secret, magical world where his mother has been taken. They get swept up into 'Alypium' where children are competing to be the next three rulers of the magical realm (the current triplets, two kings and a queen, have decided to retire after 500 years and the royal triplets born to King Piter died as children). Between trying to rescue his mother and competing against several hundred youths who know more about their world than he does, Erec finds his hands full and has to scramble to keep on top of it all.

Honestly, I'm not really a fan of this book. The plot is vaguely interesting and new but the writing doesn't do it justice. It starts out with so much happening that I couldn't get my bearings for the first couple of chapters (and I never did catch on to the way that they were naming places). The characters are fairly realistic, but a lot of the development feels forced. In particular, the the dialog feels contrived and unnatural and repetitive in some cases (Erec's conversations with his mother are all the same). Besides that, most fantasy fans will guess the gist of the outcome from his name/the title (I don't think I'm giving anything away by saying that). Generally speaking, I'd have to say that there is a lot of fantasy out there worth reading and if you skip this series, you aren't missing much; consider these instead:

• The Lightning Thief, Dragonhaven,
  Once Upon a Marigold, or The Keys to the Kingdom

Beauty and Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Her mother named her 'Honour' (to go with her siblings, Grace and Hope), but her nickname is Beauty. When her father loses everything he has, they all pack up and move to a small village with Hope's suitor since he intends to be the blacksmith there. After a trip to town, their father returns with a story about a Beast who insists that one of the daughters come to live with him, Beauty knows that she must go. What Beauty finds at the enchanted castle is not what she expects, but slowly, she goes about taming the Beast and learning more about humanity.

Beauty: a Retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast is a very traditional retelling of Beauty and the Beast - it isn't precisely the 'Disney' version, but anyone who knows the story won't be surprised by anything. I enjoy reading this book because it does add some depth to the story, although it is kind of bland in comparison with other stories that have more variation from the 'original.' Anyone who really enjoys re-tellings should read this at some point, although, if you're looking for something really different, you would probably prefer the next book (Rose Daughter).


Rose Daughter is also a retelling of Beauty and the Beast: Greatheart, Jeweltongue, and Beauty are the three daughters of a wealthy merchant. Beauty, the youngest, takes refuge in the garden as soon as she can walk. After their mother's death when the children are young, their father loses interest in his business, causing them to lose everything a few years later. Luckily, Beauty happens to find a will giving her ownership of Rose Cottage in a far away village; without any other choices, they pack up and move. But although they all adjust to their new lives, the villagers hint of a curse if three girls live at Rose Cottage and other strange whispers about the forest and an old quarrel between sorcerers. When their father returns to Town on business, he takes refuge at an enchanted castle and, of course, the Beast demands one of his daughters when he takes a rose. Beauty discovers that the Beast needs her help and does her best to set things to right for him.

The first time that I read this book, I didn't enjoy it much. Since then, I have come to love it - the imagery is beautiful, the characterizations are complex and thorough. Perhaps most importantly, it retells the story with enough changes to make it very unique and satisfying. Some readers may not like the level of detail in this book (McKinley does tend to get a bit wordy with her descriptions) but I think that it is worth it. I would definitely recommend this to fantasy fans, particularly those who like re-tellings and/or the story of Beauty and the Beast.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: The Fire Rose, Cecelia and Kate, or Half-Human

Fablehaven and Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

Kendra and Seth are unhappy about spending time with their grandparents while their mother and father go on a cruise. Once they arrive, however, they discover all sorts of activities to occupy them. It gets even more interesting when they find out that they're actually staying at Fablehaven, a preserve for magical creatures, and that their grandfather is the current caretaker. Although the siblings are enchanted by this discovery, they soon find out that magic isn't all fun and games - some magical creatures are dangerous and they must attempt to help save Fablehaven from dark plots which threaten it.

This book is a lot of fun. It's aimed toward young teens, so it's a quick, light read, but the plot is sophisticated enough to be interesting and engaging. I did notice that some of the dialog didn't seem to fit the characters, but otherwise they were fairly well developed. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers looking for something a bit out of the ordinary.


In the sequel, Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star, strange things start happening at home so that Kendra and Seth must go back to their grandparent's house for safety. The Society of the Evening Star - an ancient organization that believes all magical creatures should be loose in the world regardless of the danger - has started growing more powerful and deliberate in their actions. Grandpa Sorensen has gathered together three experts (a potion master, a magical relics collector, and a mystical creature trapper) to help keep Fablehaven safe. Their job is to find the hidden relic before the Society can get into the preserve and take it themselves. Meanwhile, Kendra is still discovering new abilities as a side effect of the fairy kisses she received the summer before and Seth is still getting himself into trouble. Now, the stakes are high and everyone must pull together to find answers or the fate of the entire world could be in jeopardy.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. The plot is far more sophisticated, so it really builds on the first installment. Seth bothered me because he cannot seem to get a clue and quit causing more problems for everyone else to deal with, but the rest of the characters are good. Also, just a heads-up, this book has a lot less closure at the end than the first one did because this one seems to be a more blatant lead-in to the next book in the series. Overall, I definitely liked this book and would recommend it to fantasy fans.

For more information, check out the official website - Note: the site is all illustrated/animated and takes a while to load.

Also see the posting for the third book in the series, Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wicked Lovely, Flora Segunda, The Saint of the Dragons, or The Harper Hall Trilogy

Medalon by Jennifer Fallon

R'shiel and Tarja Tenragen are half-siblings who live in Medalon, a nation run by the Sisters of the Blade and built on the eradication of religion. R'shiel is a novice in the Sisterhood, although she can't seem to live up to the rigorous standards of her mother who aspires to run the Order. Tarja is a Captain of the Defenders: Medalon's military force. Meanwhile, a belief in the Harshini (a fabled, god-like race thought to be extinct), rumors, and religious tensions cause a break in the peace amongst Medalon and her neighboring countries. R'shiel and Tarja are forced to rethink their loyalties and face hard realities.

I'm not a huge fan of this book, honestly. The issue with the 'Demon Child' (a half-human, half-Harshini child) seemed ridiculously obvious and the rest of the plot was no more surprising. It also seemed as if the plot was simply a series of recurring events which made for a rather tedious story. I have to admit that the characterization was good, but undermined by the storyline. This is the first book of the Demon Child Trilogy (Medalon, Treason Keep, Harshini), a part of the Hythrun Chronicles, so it is possible that the series improves once a reader gets past the 'introductory' first book. In general, I don't think I would recommend this book to most readers. If it appeals to you, or you enjoy the religion-based fantasy books, you might want to check it out and give it a try, but otherwise, I would suggest that readers look elsewhere; consider these:

• Spirit Fox, Poison Study, or Before Midnight

Now You See It... by Vivian Vande Velde

Wendy is a fairly average high school student until she accidentally discovers a random pair of sunglasses on her front lawn. Since they just happen to match her prescription, she wears them to school when her own glasses get broken. But that's when things start to get strange - some people look completely different when she's wearing the glasses...and she starts seeing things that aren't 'really' there. When the two students who look 'different' realize that Wendy can see what they actually look like, suddenly they are very eager to chat with her. Very quickly, Wendy finds herself in over her head and must turn toward some unexpected people for help.

I enjoyed this book. Wendy seemed a little juvenile at times, but overall, the story was interesting and unpredictable and the characters were realistic. The book moves pretty well for the most part. Fantasy readers who like stories about fantasy in the real world or about the division between the real world and 'faery' should definitely check this out for a quick read.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fablehaven, Wicked Lovely, The Lightning Thief, or Keys to the Kingdom

Troll Fell by Katherine Langrish

Peer Ulfsson has just been orphaned and discovers that he has two uncles (his father's half-brothers) who expect him to go live with them. His uncles, Grim and Baldur, are mean-spirited and treat Peer badly, expecting him to keep house and do all of the chores at the mill. Despite them Peer manages to strike up a friendship with Hilde, a neighboring girl. When he finds out that his uncles have an agreement with the trolls to supply them with child slaves, Peer desperately tries to find a way to save himself and his friends.

This was a cute story, I suppose. The characters and most of the storyline were rather stereotypical, nothing out of the ordinary. In particular, I felt like the ending was rather obvious and saw it coming several pages before hand. To be fair, it is geared toward younger teens and it is not a poorly written book. Also, it is the first in the Troll Trilogy: Troll Fell, Troll Mill, Troll Blood - as a whole, the series may come out better than the first book alone. I would recommend it to someone looking for a quick, 'fluffy' fantasy book.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fablehaven, The Last Apprentice, The Lightning Thief, or Firebird

East & Once Upon a Winter's Night

Both of these books retell and expand the Norwegian fairy tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon. If you want to read a traditional version, there is one here, although the annotations are a little odd.

In East, by Edith Pattou, Rose is the youngest child of a superstitious mother and a map-maker turned farmer. Although Rose's mother wants her to settle down, Rose has a wandering spirit and longs for adventure. Told from the point of view of five different characters: Father, Neddy, Rose, White Bear, Troll Queen, it explores what happens when a young girl follows her own destiny and discovers a world of magic.

Once Upon a Winter's Night by Dennis L. McKiernan sets the same story in France where Camille and her large family are huddled in their cottage to wait out the winter when a large white bear brings them a message from the Prince of Summerland in Faery. He has heard her singing in a field and asks for her hand in marriage (offering a substantial sum of money to her parents). Although Camille is unsure, she hopes that her ill younger brother will benefit from her sacrifice. Soon however, she falls in love with the prince and then must find a way to save him.

These books tell the same general story although they take it in different directions and imbue it with different flavors. Pattou's story is intriguing because the multiple points of view give it more facets and depth, even though McKiernan's version tells the story in much more detail, drawing out each segment of the tale. The second version is more romantic in some respects and also more adult (recommended for older teens) but I really enjoyed both books: the way that East stuck to the 'real world' (except for the magic, of course) and the way that Once Upon a Winter Night explored Faery. Fantasy fans, in particular those who enjoy fairy tales, should definitely check these out.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wicked Lovely, Spirit Fox, Firebird, or Black Pearls

The Soprano Sorceress by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Anna is a music instructor from Iowa - she aspired to be a singer, but didn't quite make the cut before she had children and quit trying. Unfortunately, nothing in her life is going quite right - her oldest daughter has died, her marriage has ended, and her career is at a standstill. The same moment she wishes she were anywhere else, a sorceress in Erde is casting a spell to summon a sorceress from another world. Anna suddenly finds herself in a foreign world where music causes magic to happen - her training means that she is a formidable sorceress. But trouble is brewing - a neighboring country is destroying the land and planning to invade. The defenders hope Anna will help them and she reluctantly realizes that people will be out to kill her whether she fights or not and steps up to build a life in the midst of the chaos.

I have to admit that the premise of the book was interesting. I kept reading because I was curious about how things were going to wrap up. But other than that...it was kind of boring. There was a sort of pattern because every time Anna meets someone new, they don't believe that she's a sorceress, so she does a spell; they comment on how young and pretty she looks, she explains that she's much older than she looks and has grown children; the youngsters and servants are suspicious, she wins them over; she doesn't like things so she forces them to change... Perhaps part of it was just my mood, but as 'realistic' as it was (assuming it could happen in the first place), it was kind of repetitive and, for some reason, I couldn't even bring myself to be sympathetic with Anna. Honestly, I think that if it sounds interesting, you're going to have to decide for yourself - if you like it, great, but if you think it's too slow to start, just know that it doesn't get any better.

A note: this is the first in The Songspell Cycle, followed by The Spellsong War, Darksong Rising, The Shadow Sorceress, and Shadow Singer.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Princess Nevermore, The Harper Hall Trilogy, or The Keys to the Kingdom

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Miri lives with her father and sister on Mount Eskel. Their small village has been mining the mountain quarries for generations, cutting blocks of precious, marbled linden. Miri, who is small for her age, has never been allowed to work and she feels useless in her community. One year, a delegate from the king announces that the priests have divined that their small town is the place where the prince heir's bride lives. All girls of the proper age are required to attend the princess academy where they will learn enough to make them 'fit' to marry the prince. At the end of a year, he will come to a ball at the academy and choose one of them. Miri's life is turned upside down, but she realizes, as she starts to do well in her lessons, that she might finally be good at something - and she starts to learn more about her heritage as well. But her lessons will all be more important than she thinks: when danger threatens, all of her skills will be put to the test.

I really enjoyed this book. The community where Miri lives has an oral tradition expressed in music - the language and story help to reproduce the lyricism for readers which adds to the feel throughout the book. The story itself is also rather unique and interesting, and the characters are realistic. Based on the characters, it might be more appealing to girls, but overall, I would recommend this book to fantasy fans.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Annals of the Western Shore, Princess Nevermore, or East

Firebird by Mercedes Lackey

Ilya is the middle son of a boyar (although he claims to be a tsar). While his brothers spend all of their time beating one another up in an attempt to become their father's heir, Ilya spends his time hiding out and learning religion and mythology from the priest and the shaman who live on the land. When someone starts stealing the tsar's prized cherries, Ilya sneaks out and discovers that they are being taken by a magical bird-woman called the Firebird. But, as he soon realizes, seeing the Firebird has changed his life forever - suddenly, his life gets far more interesting.

This is a great Russian fairy tale. Even though it's very different from Western tales, the Russian culture really comes through, and anyone who has been exposed to Eastern fairy tales will recognize plot points. The story starts a little slow, I thought - and Ilya wasn't really one of my favorite characters. But overall, the book is definitely worth reading - particularly for readers who enjoy fairy tales or fantasy stories set in 'real life'.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fablehaven, Spindle's End, Bound, or East

Dark Lord of Derkholm & Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones

The Wizard Derk and his son, Blade, live in a world of magic that has been turned into a real-life fantasy theme park by an off-worlder named Mr. Chesney. In various ways, Mr. Chesney has blackmailed everyone in the world, ensuring that they will host the hundreds of 'Pilgrims' who come through each year expecting a fantasy safari which includes: hazards, battles for the forces of good, and defeating a Dark Lord at the end of the tour, all with the assistance of a wizardly tour guide. This year, the Committee has named Derk the Dark Lord - not only does he have to find an artistic way to die at the end of each Pilgrim Party but he's also in charge of making sure everything else goes smoothly. When a sudden accident rearranges all of his plans, however, things suddenly get even more complicated.

In the sequel, Year of the Griffin, the youngest griffin daughter, Elda, is old enough to start learning magic. Kit and Blade have made names for themselves as some of the most powerful wizards in the world and have gone off to another continent with the other siblings to negotiate treaties. Meanwhile, Derk and Mara have their hands full at home with new children, so Elda ends up going to the University to study. Unfortunately, the older wizards have all retired and the new professors (including one obsessed with getting to the moon) have only learned what they needed to know for the Pilgrim tours. Many of Elda's new friends have people who don't want them to be at the school, so when Derk suggests some new reading material, they all start to learn magic outside of class and use it to protect themselves. The only problem is that they aren't sure how to control it all and the professors have never heard of any of it...

These books are so much fun - it's a unique direction for fantasy and very well done. Even though the first book is relatively long, it read quickly and held my attention. The second was also good, although it didn't seem much like a sequel, particularly since almost all of the main characters are different. I did really like the characters in both books (although I kept getting a couple of the students confused in the second). Overall - I definitely recommend these books to fantasy readers - especially if you're looking for something fun and a little different.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fablehaven, Howl's Moving Castle, The Magic and the Healing, or Spirit Fox

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

Storm Thief by Chris Wooding

Rail and Moa live in Orokos, the only city in the world, or so everyone believes. Unfortunately, it isn't a particularly good place to live despite having no escape - much of the population is poor, living in shacks and eating government-issue gruel. Although the poorest citizens bear the brunt, the whole city is at the mercy of 'probability storms,' terrifying sweeps of chaos that can change nothing or everything, often rearranging streets or moving buildings and people. The storms cause death and destruction in their wake. They have already taken a toll on Rail who can no longer breathe without the aid of a respirator as a result of one storm.

As ghetto-folk, the two make their living as thieves, barely maintaining their existence, although Rail dreams of moving up in the world and giving Moa a better life. On one trip, however, Rail discovers a treasure - a piece of technology from before the 'Fade' and the probability storms. This particular item causes them more trouble than he could have imagined, forcing them to run as fugitives and venture into dangerous places as a way to survive. Soon their path will cross that of a golem from another part of the city - between the three of them, they will discover the darkest secrets of the city and have to make difficult decisions which will affect their lives and the fate of Orokos.


This was an interesting book - although it is fantasy, more or less, it reads like a SciFi novel, with a lot of emphasis on technology and political aspects of the world rather than magic. Also, there were several aspects of the book that reminded me of SciFi movies rather than fantasy - so, readers who prefer 'pure' fantasy should probably pass this one up.

I really liked the characters in this story - particularly the golem, although the relationship between Rail and Moa is kind of ambiguous despite its strength (not a problem although I found myself speculating throughout the book).

I think it's also important for readers to know that this book is kind of dark - very solemn and with the constant feeling of the oppressive storms hanging over the city. Additionally, the ending is incredibly vague, without any real resolution - I don't know if there's going to be a sequel or not, however, according to Wooding's site, a new book called The Fade will be coming out soon (it sounds like it's related, but possibly a prequel).

Another random note: Wooding writes in British English, which doesn't make very much difference, but once or twice it made me blink for a moment, so readers who are bothered by that sort of thing should take it into account.

Given all of this, I have to say that it was an interesting book - and it certainly held my attention - but is probably not one of the best novels I've read. Readers who like more serious, SciFi-inclined books might want to check it out, but if you're looking for dragons or magic, this is not the book for you.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Lady in Gil, Fly by Night, or The Summoning

Resenting the Hero & The Hero Strikes Back by Moira J. Moore

These books take place in a world home to constant natural disasters, averted only by talented individuals known as 'Sources' (who channel power to deflect disaster) and 'Shields' (who keep the minds and bodies or the Sources safe while they channel). Dunleavy Mallorough was taken from her family when she was four to train as a Shield and has finally made it to 'graduation.' Sources and Shields can only work in pairs, and the best pairs are 'bonded' - a spontaneous, unpredictable, uncontrollable, and permanent connection formed as soon as a pair sets eyes on one another. Dunleavy has her sights set on several of the Source candidates, but is disappointed when she ends up bonded to Lord Shintaro Karish, a talented Source with a reputation for being very popular...with everyone. Dunleavy has little time to get used to the idea since they get shipped off, almost immediately, to High Scape - a large city with enough disasters to boast a large compliment of the most experienced Pairs. They'll have to get over their differences fast, though, since disasters (natural and otherwise) come straight at them as soon as they settle in.

In the sequel, The Hero Strikes Back, Lee and Taro have recovered from all of the problems they faced in the first book and life in High Scape has settled down to normal. Well...almost normal. It's snowing in the middle of the summer. Unfortunately, there's nothing that the Pairs can do about (ab)normal weather if it doesn't involve major forces of nature. That doesn't keep the citizens from being hostile about the abrupt changes in the weather which are destroying their livelihoods, however. Meanwhile, both Lee and Taro have to deal with personal problems, too. Lee's mother has come to visit and Taro's is threatening to come force him to bend to her will. Without a choice, Lee and Taro must rise to the occasion to meet all of the new challenges thrust upon them.

I have really enjoyed these books. The plots are interesting, although the first book has more action while the second has more character development. The characters are very realistic and they interact well. Also, the situations surrounding Sources and Shields is well described and everything is easy to follow. The stories are told from Lee's point of view and infused with her thoughts and wit.

I'll admit that my first inclination was to think of the parallels to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series which involves 'channeling the Source' and 'bonds' between the person who channels and the one(s) who protects her (for those who are unfamiliar). However, despite the similarities in terms, these books really aren't at all alike - the characters and their powers work very differently and the ideas behind this series is original and in a very different style.

Although these books are fantasy, the emphasis is definitely on the people and the situations - good for readers of all sorts. Overall, I would definitely recommend these books. I'm looking forward to the third book which comes out sometime in 2008, and also the fourth book which is still in the works. Update: here's my post about Heroes' Reward and the end of the series.


Anyone who wants commentary, updates, and excerpts on upcoming books can check out Moira J. Moore's LiveJournal. (She also has a webpage, but it seems to have far less information.)

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: The Immortalsseries, Harper Hall Trilogy, or Spirit Fox

Heroics for Beginners by John Moore

This novel is a parody of fairy tales (borrowing liberally from popular culture and favorite stories) which looks at the 'real life' side. At the beginning, several suitors are vying for the hand of Princess Rebecca of Deserae - but all of this comes to an end when the kingdom's Ancient Artifact (a Model Seven) gets stolen by an Evil Overlord. Lord Voltmeter (He Who Must Be Named) has plans to use the Artifact to power his Diabolical Device and take over the twenty kingdoms. Prince Kevin Timberline from Rassendas has decided to get the Artifact back so that he can marry Becky. Armed with The Handbook of Practical Heroics, Kevin heads off to the Village of Angst and starts scouting a way into the Fortress of Doom (open Mon-Fri, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM with extended hours for the ventilation shaft) on his quest to save the day.

I have to say that this is an amusing, if irreverent story. The characters are certainly interesting and the plot follows a predictable, if twisted path. Any fans of the list 'The Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became an Evil Overlord' and similar writings/lists/etc. will certainly enjoy the quotations from The Handbook of Practical Heroics and the efforts of all of the characters to anticipate 'traditional' problems that storytale heroes run into. It is important that readers understand that the story is not serious in any way, shape, or form - it's fun, but it isn't for everyone or for every mood. That said, I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Dark Lord of Derkholm, The Wish List, or Flora Segunda