by Jane | May 1, 2019 | Books
Strange Grace by Tessa Grafton is the story of a village blessed with seven years of prosperity and health. But in the seventh year, a young man (known as a “saint”) must spend the night in the Devil’s Forest being pursued by demons, dead animals, and the devil himself. Most never return. Of the few who have, all but one have left the village, consumed with nightmares.
Mairwen Grace is the daughter of the next-to-last saint
and the village witch, and is studying to one day replace her mother.
Unfortunately for her, Rhun Sayer, the boy she likes, is deemed by all of the
villagers as the most likely to be the next saint. All but one, that is. Their
friend Arthur Couch believes the honor should go to him.
But Mairwen is not looking forward to the ritual this year and not simply because Rhun may lose his life. Only three years have passed but things are going wrong in the village, something which has never happened before. Also, Maitwen believes something is wrong with the legend of how the ritual began and that the village has been lied to for years. Though it goes against tradition, she is determined to do what is necessary to discover the truth about the ritual and stop young men from dying.
Strange Grace is an excellent YA fantasy. The interactions
of the three main characters are complex and there are surprises galore. If you
like YA fantasy at all, this is the book to read.
by Jane | Apr 17, 2019 | Books
Starman by Sara Douglass is Book 3 of The Wayfarer Redemption. The story continues as Azhure and Faraday both continue to understand their new powers and their roles. The Starman Axis has made gains but must still defeat his remaining half-brother, regain the lad of Tencendor, and return the lost lands to the beings once known as the Forbidden.
Douglass has not missed a step in the continuation of
this saga. Indeed, the characters continue to grow, and although one enemy
might be defeated, another will crop up, increasing the tension. It is a fun
run to follow the protagonists in fulfilling their prophesized destinies while
coming to grips with personal issues that may not work out as they would wish.
This conclusion of the Starman story will not leave you
wanting. Make sure you read it.
by Jane | Mar 27, 2019 | Books, Uncategorized
I know Anne McCaffrey mostly from The Dragonriders of Pern series, so when I spotted a book of hers at a yard sale, I snatched it up. What I found was a book called To Ride Pegasus, and while it sounds like it might be another fantasy novel, it’s something much different – a science fiction book about people with psionic abilities, people known as Talents.
To Ride Pegasus is written in four sections, and although it is a continuing story, each could really stand alone. The only exception is the first section, entitled “To Ride Pegasus,” like the entire book. It is the origin story, which is necessary to understand the rest.
A machine developed for a different purpose is found to be able to track psionic abilities, and one man, Henry Darrow, makes it his mission to gather these people together, use their powers for good, and protect their civil rights.
The rest of the book details incidents with one or two
people who have these powers, how the powers get out of hand, and what the
institution founded by Darrow does to help.
I enjoyed this book. It reminds me of much of the classic science fiction written in the 1960s and 1970’s and holds its own. However, having said that, I much prefer McCaffrey’s fantasy. For people who enjoy this book, there are two more to follow: Pegasus in Flight and Pegasus in Space. As for me, I’m going back to Pern.
by Jane | Mar 14, 2019 | Books
The Eye of Night by Pauline J. Alama is a fantasy novel about ex-priest Jereth who meets two unusual women and joins them on their quest. Both women are more than they appear, as Jereth discovers during their travels. One appears to be simple and the other soon reveals latent magical powers. Their quest is to deliver an object of magic, the Eye of Night, up north. Neither Jareth nor the reader know the true reason behind this object or why it must go north. What is known is how dangerous the quest is. The North is a place most people are fleeing, not heading towards. Environmental disasters, disease, and ghosts make it a horrible place to be. But the three travelers are determined.
Alama weaves an epic tale of these three travelers who move
through the countryside meeting people, some friends, some enemies, trying to
achieve their goal. She has a writing style which kept me engaged throughout. I
did not want to put it down and often read into the night. Pick it up today.
by Jane | Mar 1, 2019 | Books
Enchanter by Sara Douglas is the second book of The Wayfarer Redemption series. Axis has met the family kept from him all his life, both his human mother and Icarii father. Azhure, a strange woman he has met in his travels, is with him, and they both train for war at the home of the winged Icarii.
Axis knows he must fight his two
half-brothers, the human Borneheld and the creature Gorgrael, in order to
fulfill the prophecy and save his land. Still, he longs to reunite with Faraday,
the woman he loves, a reunion which may never happen. She has discovered new
powers and a new destiny, and Axis finds himself taken with the beautiful and
capable Azure.
Enchanter has everything that the previous book did — adventure, love, prophecy, and magic – and is the perfect follow-up to The Wayfarer Redemption, the first book of the series. I encourage you to read this book, and you will happily move on to Book 3.
by Jane | Feb 11, 2019 | Books
Court of Fives by Kate Elliott is the story of Jessamy
(Jes for short), a girl who lives in a society in which the Patrons rule and the
Commoners are seen as inferior. Her father is a Patron, a well-respected
military officer, and her mother is a Commoner. She lives with them and her
three sisters raised as Patrons, although her parents could never marry.
Though raised as a Patron, Jes longs to take part in a
game known as the Fives, which she does behind her father’s back. She meets a
Kalliarkos, a Patron boy, in the competition, and they become unlikely friends.
When her family is torn apart by Kaliarkos’ evil uncle, Jes sets herself on a
mission to save the Commoners from their oppression and to uncover secrets of
the Patrons and of the Fives.
Adventure, mysticism, and a growing love between Jes and
Kalliarkos mark this book as a must-read young adult fantasy.
