Deep Storm

Child, Lincoln. (2007). Deep Storm. New York, NY: Random House Inc.

ISBN: 9780385515504

pages: 370

genre: suspense/thriller

annotation: Medical issues are only the beginning in an undersea station.

summary: Peter Crane is amazed to be approached to find the cause of medical problems occurring in an undersea station. He has naval experience, but wonders why he was approached. He doesn’t have much time to wonder when, soon after he arrives, the problems worsen. Add into this that the cover story  of the station excavating Atlantis is false. If he does not figure out the cause of the problems not only the people on the station, but everyone on the planet, might die.

evaluation: good read
The reason for the station is unique. It might seem over the top, but the matter of fact way it is handled made it seem plausible enough for fiction. The assortment of characters was intriguing: the quick thinking Peter Crane, Admiral Spartan who lives up to his name, etc. I liked the thought processes of the characters as they tried to figure out what was going on: their perspectives and the details about military life and science were fascinating. Two areas, though, unsettled me. One was the ending. The situation at the end is tenuous: I found myself wondering just how people were going to deal with the end result. I would have liked an ending which was more settled. It did get me thinking and wondering what would come next. I also felt ambivalent about sabotage being used. Figuring out who the saboteur did add suspense because cases could be made throughout the book for it being several people. On the other hand, I think not having the sabotage would have added to uniqueness of the premise. It would have kept the story focused on whether what was being dug up was benevolent or not, and whether it should be dug up. This book is a good read for those who like suspense on (or in this case under) the ocean, military drama and finding the truth with humanity’s future on the line.

What else to read:

Other books by Lincoln Child. He frequently co-writes with Douglas Preston.

James Rollin’s Subterranean for another tale of secrets beneath the Earth.

Andy McDermott’s The Hunt for Atlantis for a story involving Atlantis and humanity’s future.

Clive Cussler’s books usually involve the ocean, lots of suspense and the heroes having to protect humanity from threats such as viruses, bioengineered fish, etc.

Wickham's Diary

Grange, Amanda. (2011) Wickham’s Diary. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Landmark.

ISBN: 9781402251863

pages: 198

genre: historical fiction

annotation: Wickham’s story from childhood to Meryton.

Summary: Wickham has loving parents, a blessing in the patronage of his father’s boss Mr. Darcy and charm. Being the son of a servant isn’t enough: he wants the good life his friend Darcy has. Encouraged by his mother, he sets out to charm his way into marrying a heiress rather than gain money through unfair hard work. He records his experiences at Pemberley, Cambridge, London and Ramsgate as he tries to meet his goal. His efforts lead him towards the events seen in a certain book called Pride and Prejudice.

Evaluation: good read

This was an entertaining look at Wickham’s life. I could see why he felt Darcy cheated him without feeling sorry for him (as the book says he is a character Austen fans like to dislike). It was fascinating seeing more about this take on his character: his relationship with Darcy, how his mother molded him, more about Cambridge and the near elopement with Georgiana Darcy.  What keeps me from liking this book more is that it felt like it could have gone deeper. For instance, we see glimpses of his love for his mother and grief after she dies but more about his relationship with her would have added more to his character. There is also a brief time when Darcy helps him and it seems like Wickham might be on a different path, but when he decides otherwise. I would have liked to have seen more on why. (A benefit of the touching on things approach is that the book flows very quickly. This would make it a great choice to woo someone to read Pride and Prejudice and/or other works about it such as the author’s Mr. Darcy’s Diary.) More on the details of locales, society, etc. would have been intriguing. (Then again, knowing how Wickham is self-centered, this might not have been true to his character.) As it is, I rate this book a good read and have added Grange’s other Pride and Prejudice related titles to my reading list. This is a good read for Pride and Prejudice fans and especially for those who want to know more about Wickham’s character.

What else to read:

Other books by Amanda Grange that explore thoughts of Pride and Prejudice characters.

Sharon Lathan, who has a popular series of books continuing the Pride and Prejudice saga, focuses on Georgiana Darcy in Miss Darcy Falls in Love.

Anna Elliot’s Georgiana's Diary gives readers a story focused on Georgiana Darcy after Pride and Prejudice. As of 6/4, this book can be found for free on Amazon.

Other Pride and Prejudice related suggestions can be found in the post for Pride and Prescience.

The Sherlockian

Moore, Graham. (2010). The Sherlockian. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.

ISBN: 9780446572590

Pages: 350

Genre: mystery, historical fiction

Annotation: An amateur detective searches a Doyle’s diary and a murderer.

Summary: Harold White goes to the convention of the Baker Street Irregulars in hopes of joining their elite ranks. He also wants to hear about a lost Doyle diary which has finally been found by Alex Cale, a prominent member of the Irregulars. He is shocked when Cale is found murdered, but his knowledge of Holmes lore shows him clues about what happened. Determined, he sets out to find the truth.  Meanwhile, in the past, Conan Doyle has a case of his own searching for the murderer of several women. Both amateur detectives will have to use everything they learned from Holmes, aid from others and their own intelligence to solve their mysteries.

Evaluation: good read

The plot was interesting: watching Harold go from clue to clue while trying to figure out who his enemy, or enemies, were was intriguing. Harold’s character had some engaging elements: he put his Holmes knowledge to good use and he panicked when I would have in his shoes.  The character of Sarah kept my attention: I wanted to find out which side she was on. I also liked seeing the Irregulars and figuring out why Doyle would resurrect Holmes. The dynamic between Doyle and Stoker made the story a good read as well. The portrayal of London in flux with conflict over women getting the vote (and their role in English society) and gas to electricity (with the corresponding end of a romantic age) was fascinating. What primarily leaves me unsatisfied is the resolution of both mysteries. When reading a mystery I want to feel like the world is better for the mystery being solved. The resolution of both mysteries left me wondering if such was the case for them. Another aspect of the book which bothered me, but I could look over by stretching belief, was Harold being a detective. First he spoils a crime scene by looking at it before the police were done with it. Then, he leaves not only the state, but also the country, after the police asked him not to. It seemed unrealistic that he would not have been arrested for one or both of those things. (He did get lectured for the crime scene search.) (One feature of the book that did not bother me, but might bother others, is that the two stories are told through alternating chapters.) This book is a good read for those interested in Doyle, England in the early 1900s or a look into Sherlock Holmes societies.

What else to read:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes tales are worth reading (or re-reading as the case may be).

Daniel Stashower’s Teller of Tales  and Jon L. Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower, Charles Foley’s Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters for more about Doyle’s life.

Julian Barnes Arthur and George is another tale involving Doyle solving crime.  

The Sherlockian was loosely inspired by the murder of a prominent Holmes scholar in 2004. Moore recommends the December 13, 2004 New Yorker article “Mysterious Circumstances” by David Grann and Click here for a link to the New Yorker’s abstract for the article. He also recommends the May 19, 2004 New York Times article "The Curious Incident of the Boxes" by Sarah Lyall. 

This book could be similar to Jedidiah Berry's The Manual of Detection. (Click here for my entry on this book.) Both feature heroes who are not established detectives, but whose eye for detail and reading help them in solving mysteries. Both also have the foundations of what they believe in shaken in the pursuit of the truth. The Manual of Detection is more surreal, but I wonder what would happen if White and Unwin were to have a talk somehow... 

The Convenient Marriage

Heyer, Georgette. (2008 reprint). The Convenient Marriage. Naperville, IN: Sourcebooks Casablanca.

ISBN: 9780099474425

Pages: 307

Annotation: Horatia finds there might be love in marriage after all.

Summary: Horatia marries a wealthy earl so her sister can marry for love. She does not count on love being a part of her marriage. She is not pretty, wealthy and she stammers. If love is not possible in her marriage why not use her husband’s money to become the talk of London instead? Unfortunately, success comes at the price of a risky reputation and attention from a very rakish man. When Horatia becomes caught in a situation that could ruin her reputation it is up to those she can count on to keep it from her husband. A thought she had not considered is that maybe she is wrong about her husband and maybe love can be found in her marriage after all.

Evaluation: good read

This book was a mixed bag. Horatia’s character annoyed me. At first I liked her because she wanted her sister to be happy and saw love as being more important than wealth. My goodwill faded when she promptly started behaving idiotically after her marriage. I can see some acting out due to, she feels, there not being love in her marriage. What annoyed me was that it felt as if  her behavior came more from immaturity than mourning love. Mentioning immaturity brings me to another area of disapproval: she is seventeen and marries a thirty five year old! The age difference was offsetting enough, but when combined with Horatia’s behavior, put a damper reading the book for the romance. This is too bad because I liked the Earl of Rule: a man who likes being on the sidelines but has a quick mind and is patient with those he loves. Otherwise I liked the book a lot. The portrayal of society was interesting: lots of mention of fashion, etiquette, etc. The plot was unbelievable, but in such a way that I enjoyed it: a kidnapping, noblemen acting as highwaymen for one particular chaise, etc. The behavior of the other characters besides Horatia caused me to laugh a lot. I was initially very put off by her brother due to his excessive gambling, but the hijinks he got into made me laugh a lot. How someone can be so feckless but loyal, witty but foolish and knowledgeable but not was amusing. Mr. Drelincourt was so ridiculous I groaned but then also laughed at his behavior. He gets into a duel because of damage to his wig! The amusement value and portrayal of society is enough to get the book a good rating. This book is a good read for those who like the Regency and/or a book with behavior so ridiculous it causes laughter.

What else to read:

Other books by Georgette Heyer.

The Private World of Georgette Heyer by Jane Aiken Hodge for more about the author.

Check out the entries for False Colours and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall for more suggestions.

A Tale Out of Luck

Nelson, Willie and Mike Blakely. (2008). A Tale Out of Luck. New York, NY: Center Street.  

Pages: 250

ISBN: 9781599957326

Genre: Western, mystery

Annotation: Retired Ranger Tomlinson’s future is endangered by his past.

Summary: Captain Tomlinson has reason to be happy: two adopted sons and a prosperous ranch. Then his sons, through inattention, let a newly acquired and expensive horse get stolen. He decides to let them run off to find it: it’s better than facing his temper at the moment. Things get even more complicated when a man is found scalped and dead. Tomlinson is not disturbed to see a clue pointing to an enemy from his past. Some people say the Native Americans killed the man, but a hotshot Texas State Policeman thinks he did it. Between the Native Americans, and other complications including the State Policeman, Tomlinson’s going to need all the help he can get to keep all dear to him safe.

Evaluation: Good read

The characters are fun to spend some time with. Tomlinson cares about the people in his life and tries to right by them. His oldest son, Jay Blue, is a bit single-minded, but still a nice guy. Tomlinson’s adopted son, Izquierdo Rodriguez or Skeeter, makes the reader snort in amusement at times and think at other times. The female characters are practical without being cold and are not shrinking violets. The Native American character, The Wolf, felt more real than a stereotypical Native American. The storyline is engaging because I did not catch who the villain was. When he was revealed it made sense, but I had thought of his actions came from other motives.  The story was paced well for the most part. One thing that threw me, though, was that one of the characters seemed leading towards a certain course of action but then changed their mind too quickly. (I know that sounds vague but I don’t want to spoil the book!). An explanation for why was given, but it seemed rushed. If the character had changed their mind slowly, or had some more doubt first, it would have been more believable. I had mixed feelings about the ending. A relationship between two characters that was revealed seemed a little too much a ‘feel-good’ development. Also, the last two sentences confused me a bit in how to take them. Besides those issues I liked the storyline. I also liked the atmosphere. The different types of characters and points of view used gives the reader a look into the different types of people who could have lived in the West: women, men, white, Native American, African American, etc. Interactions as well as descriptions of the landscape and horse ranching put the reader in the feel of the West. I would have liked to have seen some more English slang, but maybe it did not stick out as much because only Spanish words were in italics. The use of Spanish words and phrases in the book added to the atmosphere, but I could see where it might detract a bit. I know some Spanish, but a reader who does not might have been thrown having to look for the translation in the next sentence or understanding by reading the context.  This book is a good read for those wanting a fast paced and/or feel-good Western.

What else to read:

Other books by Willie Nelson and Mike Blakely.

Shane by Jake Schaefer is a fast paced and feel-good Western.

True Grit by Charles Portis is also a fast paced Western.

The Falling Machine

Mayer, Andrew P. (2011). The Society of Steam Book one: The Falling Machine. Amherst, NY: Pyr.

ISBN: 9781616143756

Pages: 285

Genre: steampunk

Annotation: After her mentor is murdered Sarah searches for the truth.

Summary: Sarah Stanton went to the Brooklyn Bridge with her mentor to see a marvel being built. She leaves shocked by her mentor’s murder and awareness of a danger threatening New York and the world. Things get worse when she finds there is a traitor in the superhero group protecting the city. Now she must find out the truth or all will be lost.

Evaluation: good read

Sarah’s backstory shows her to be a determined heroine the reader roots for. Her father, the superhero known as the Industrialist, is interesting because he is grey: he wants to protect the world but some of his actions are questionable at best. The other characters are intriguing. Sleuth, for example, is a Sherlock Holmes like hero who is charming and intelligent. A nitpick I have is that more should have been done with the character of Tom. He is an automaton who embodies progress because he is so advanced, but also causes mistrust because he is a machine and not human. We see his actions, and they show his character, but I would have liked to see more of his thoughts. Just seeing his actions makes his character feel flat to me. How is he reacting to the events of the book? The reader clearly sees this is a steampunk world through the descriptions of machines. The workings of society are shown through the chapters in Sarah’s point of view. The storyline gets readers thinking about what being human is, can machines/progress be trusted and how we can be oblivious to what we need to see. The chain of events is believable and the point of view switches are handled skillfully. The book leaves plenty of questions to be answered in the next books. This is a good read for those who like over the top superheroes and villains and/or steampunk.

What else to read:

The next book in the series.

The Bookman (The Bookman Histories series) by Lavie Tidhar for steampunk and a good villain.

The Iron Duke (Iron Seas series) by Meljean Brook for steampunk, strong heroine and romance.

Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series) by Phillipa Ballentine for steampunk and a strong heroine.

Warlord

Bell, Ted. (2010). Warlord (6^th in the Alexander Hawke series). New York, NY: William Morrow.

ISBN: 978-0062002242

Pages: 532  

Genre: suspense/thriller

Annotation: Alex Hawke confronts a terrorist plot which could destabilize Britain.

Summary: With the death of the woman he loved Alex Hawke longs for death. He is shocked out of this by a call from his friend Prince Charles. His Royal Highness’s instincts are telling him that the latest threat to his family is a true danger to their safety. As Alex searches for the truth he finds a villain whose hatred goes beyond the Royal Family. This villain is behind an Islamic terrorist group which has been making attacks on the United States and taking over Pakistan. Now Alex must find a way stop this group and its leader before the Royal Family is killed.

Evaluation: Good read

The characters keep the reader’s interest and feel real. Hawke is well named: like a hawk he lives for war and being on the knife edge between life and death. The dynamic between Hawke and his friend retired Inspector Congreve was hilarious. The villain is filled with a revenge the reader could understand while being horrified at his actions. The one character that left me unhappy was the main female character Sahira Karim. On the one hand, she is very intelligent and provides vital assistance at one point in the story. On the other hand, her part in the story seemed mostly w sensationalistic: she meets Alex, they have sex, she disappears for part of the story and then they go on a mission where they have sex again and then we don’t see her again. On the plus side, the author does a good job of tying several storylines together. When the storylines were connected together it showed how dangerous the villain was. I did wonder how the villain could have kept his actions, and feelings, hidden from British intelligence. It was easy for me to predict who he was. My interest was kept, though, because I wanted to find out how this person turned out the way he did. Still, I think it might have been better if there was some doubt as to who he was: when his true name was revealed it felt anticlimactic. In my opinion, the pacing would have been stronger if the descriptions of attacks carried out by the terrorist group and the villain were left out. These events showed Smith and the terrorists are evil, but to me that could have also been accomplished by just mentioning the events. Going into them in depth, showing how they happened, etc. distracted from the major point of the story which was finding Smith and stopping his overall plan. Otherwise I liked the story. As someone who has never fought in war, and is not attracted to fighting, I do not know much about it. Bell’s portrayal of the characters and descriptions of aspects such as logistics, weapons, etc. gave me insight. I do not know the plausibility of the details of how the terrorist group recruited members and planned attacks, but somehow they felt plausible. If so it is chilling. This is a good read for fans of warfare/spy thrillers and/or people who want a look into the world of terrorism.

What else to read:

Other books by Ted Bell.

Blood And Rage: A Cultural History Of Terrorism by Michael Burleigh for learning more about terrorism.

The Infernal Machine: A History of Terrorism by Matthew Carr for another perspective on terrorism.

The Midnight House (John Wells series) by Alex Berenson for another terrorist suspense novel.

The Kill Artist (number one in the Gabriel Allon series) by Daniel Silva for another ex-intelligence agent fighting against terrorism.

The Star of India

Bugge, Carole. (1998). The Star of India: A Novel of Sherlock Holmes. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.  

ISBN: 978-0312180348

Pages: 256

Genre: mystery

Annotation: A case to locate a missing jewel becomes much more.  

Summary: Holmes and Watson’s peace is disrupted when they are approached to recover a stolen jewel. If the Star India is not found the already rocky relationship with India will suffer. Holmes learns the jewel was stolen by none other than Professor Moriarty. As Holmes plays a demented game of chess with Moriarty in the streets of London he learns the jewel is only one part of the professor’s plan to pit England and India against each other. Holmes must overcome the plans of his most evil and intelligent foe.

Evaluation: good read

Bugge’s portrayal of Holmes and others is excellent. Holmes feels determination for justice, and compassion, but is uncomfortable with those feelings. This dynamic makes Holmes seem all the more brilliant because he is shown to be human. Watson is shown to be not as intelligent as Holmes, but with a determination to do the right thing which makes him a perfect best friend for the detective. The other characters of Lestrade, Moriarty, etc. are engaging and well done.  One complaint is that the role of one of the characters is too obvious. Otherwise the story is a good one: a brisk paced outing which evokes the feeling of a Doyle tale. A good read for fans of Holmes and Watson’s England.

What else to read or watch:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books:

Carole Bugge’s  The Haunting of Torre Abbey: A Novel of Sherlock Holmes and her tale in The Confidential Casebook of Sherlock Holmes edited by Marvin Kaye and Kathleen Brady.

Larry Millett's Sherlock Holmes books take place in the U.S., but his portrayal of Holmes is also a mixture of human and detective.

Basil Rathbone’s portrayal of Holmes in the radio plays and movies is excellent. He is brilliant a, but also quirky: sometimes irritable and sometimes saying things he later has to apologize to Watson for. Radio plays starring him as Holmes can be found at http://archive.org/details/HQSherlockRathboneTCS . Several of the films also can be found on archive.org. Thank goodness for that site and for public domain!

If you like these, or just want to see some other Holmes related books, there are several which I like for their characters, plots and (if applicable) humor:

Carole Nelson Douglas brings a strong heroine to Sherlock Holmes in the Irene Adler series.

Quinn Fawcett’s Mycroft Holmes series focuses on a secretary who works for Mycroft Holmes (Sherlock’s brother).

Michael Kurland’s Professor Moriarty series focuses on a couple who works for Moriarty with appearances by the Professor. Kurland’s Moriarty is not so much evil as diabolical.

Coming soon to this blog someday…

A book that might be an interesting tale about the Holmes tales is Graham Moore’s The Sherlockian. At some point, I will get through my to be read pile and provide some thoughts on this. I would be interested if anyone else has read this book yet and has any thoughts they’d like to share.

The Cat Who Came in from the Cold

Masson, Jeffrey Moussaieff. (2004). The Cat Who Came in from the Cold : A Fable. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

ISBN: 978-0345478672

Pages: 107

Genre: historical fiction

Annotation: An explanation for why the first cat allowed domestication.

Summary: Billi observes humans from his favorite perch in the mango grove. Feeling a need to learn more about them he travels across India to speak with different domestic animals about their relationships with humans. His decision will change the relationship between humans and cats forever.

Evaluation: good read.

Billi, Hindi for ‘cat’, is the main character. The author shows an understanding of cats that rings true with this cat lover’s experience. Masson’s explanation for cat behaviors such as blinking, how they handle embarrassment, their opinions on being confined, etc. feel right. Billi’s thoughts on how to associate with humans on an equal level versus being a worker or toy at human beck and call did seem cat-like. On the other hand, Billi seems too human: he understands human languages and religion. Billi seeming too human also keeps me from giving the book an excellent rating, but otherwise the storyline is good. The interweaving of thoughts on Indian religions was interesting, but could be seen as detracting from the cat-human storyline. The pacing of the story felt excellent as Billi does not spontaneously end up with humans, but goes through a lot of thinking and some false starts. The descriptions of cat movement, other animals’ opinions of humans and Indian landscape/religions were engaging. A good read for cat lovers.

What else to read:

Masson’s The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats: A Journey into the Feline Heart.

James Herriot's Cat Stories by James Herriot and illustrated by Lesley Holmes shares a veterinarian’s stories about his interactions with cats and the humans in their lives.

Catalyst (Tales of the Barque Cats series) by Anne McCaffrey has cat protagonists working with humans to save both species from domination.

Lillian Jackson Braun’s Cat Who mystery series has a cat-human relationship where cats help their human to solve mysteries.

False Colours

Heyer, Georgette. (2008 reprint). False Colours. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.

ISBN: 9781402210754          

Pages: 341

Genre: Regency Romance, historical fiction

Annotation: Christopher Fancot pretends to be his twin to avert scandal.

Summary: The Honorable Christopher Fancot has a strong bond with his twin brother Evelyn: each knows when something bad happens to the other. When he gets a feeling something bad has happened to Evelyn he rushes home. He finds his twin missing. His mother pressures him into pretending to be his brother at a dinner with a potential fiancée.  Things become even more complicated when ‘his’ potential fiancée and some other guests visit him at the Fancot country home at Ravenhurst. Christopher finds himself falling in love with his brother’s fiancée and she with him. Even if Evelyn turns up the problems have just begun.

Evaluation: good read

Heyer’s characters are excellent: they are witty and have flaws which cause more humor but also make them endearing. Christopher Fancot is worried for his twin, and smart enough to ‘be’ him, but also would cheerfully cause his twin bodily harm if Evelyn arrives. The fiancée in question, Cressy Stavely, has an intelligent mind which makes her witty. She also is self-aware enough to know she is annoyed with the young step-mother who is taking over her father’s house. Christopher and Evelyn’s mother, her long time suitor Sir Bonamy and the sharp-tongued Dowager Lady Stavely keep the reader laughing as they react to situations and each other. The storyline was luckwarm to me though. It strained my credibility that Christopher was getting away with impersonating his brother. Despite them being twins, the two brothers have drastically different personalities and habits and I could have seen Christopher having more close calls than he did. Also, it seems like we see more interaction between Christopher and his mother than him and Cressy. I had mixed feelings about the pacing of the story. It felt slow at times but then that also gave the reader the chance to really feel a part of Heyer’s Regency England. She does a great job showing Regency England: the slang in the characters’ dialog as well as the details about fashion and other areas of life made me feel like I was there. This is a good read for sweet Regency Romance or anyone interested in the time period.

Note: Georgette Heyer is known as the writer of Regency romance. Anyone interested in Regency romance or just that era should try reading her. She also makes a good match for people who like ‘sweet’ romances versus ‘spicy’. I think other books are better than this one, so I will read another one later.

What else to read:

Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and other writers who lived and wrote in 1800s England.
Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester and Gerareme Tavendale for learning about the  places characters went, the food they ate, etc.
For other writers of sweet Regency, and some Georgian, romances the Good Ton website is a good place to go. (The website name, thenonesuch, comes from a title of a Heyer book.) The website is no longer adding books to its site, but has a database of titles and other interesting information.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is another good Regency Romance. I have an entry for this book on the blog. 

The Arrows of the Queen

Lackey, Mercedes. (1987). Arrows of the Queen. (1^st volume of The Heralds of Valdemar). New York, NY: DAW Books.

ISBN: 9780886773786

Pages: 320

Genres: fantasy

Annotation: Talia searches for where she belongs and saves a kingdom.

Summary: Talia runs away from home in desperate search of a better life. She is surprised, and awed, to encounter the Companion Rolan. The Companions are horse-like beings which protect the kingdom of Valdemar with their human allies. Rolan chooses Talia to help protect Queen Selenay and her daughter Princess Elspeth. He brings Talia to the Collegium for training. Talia learns how the traits she has, personal and magical, make her the best hope to help the queen and train the spoiled Princess Elspeth.

Evaluation: good read

The book has one main character, Talia, and the others are peripheral players. Talia’s character development is feasible, but can feel a bit rushed. It would have been nicer to see more of the small “normal” moments that compromise growth, but there are some. Other than that, her reactions to events and overall character development is believable. The other characters, who the reader gets to know through occasional focuses on their points of view, are worth getting to know. Skif the mischievous, but loyal thief, and Jadus the harp master are two examples. The challenges Talia has to face are varied and the reader roots for her to overcome them. The atmosphere feels average. The reader knows they are in another world, but do not feel deeply immersed in it. The pacing feels too fast: at one point it seems like the book skips a couple of years. This ensures quick movement to the next significant challenge Talia faces, but it cuts out some of the small, normal moments that might be interesting to see. This is a good read for those who like strong heroines and horses.

What else to read:

Other books by Mercedes Lackey.

Green Rider by Kristen Britain also has a strong female hero and horses.

Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey is technically young adult, but is a good match. The hero, like Talia, is unwanted by his family and finds his place helping his ruler. It is also a good story for those who like horses.

Poison Study by Maria Snyder features a strong heroine.