ISBN: 0-15-201609-0 Order from: Amazon.com
A pleasant continuation of the dualogy, this juvenile romantic fantasy is diverting but lacks in excitement until the concluding pages.
Reviewed by David on August 12, 2001
Genre: Fantasy (Juvenile, Romance, Intrigue, Coming of Age)
Synopsis: Meliara Astiar, the young countess of a remote province found herself, almost accidentally, on the winning side of rebellion. Proclaimed as a heroine, and allied to the probable next king, Meliara comes to the court. Her unsophisticated manners are no match for the intriguing courtiers. And, to make it worse, her ally and former enemy, the Marquis Shevraeth, may be a power-hungry villain. Meliara may not have much power, but she considers finding the best king for her country her duty. And Meliara takes her duty seriously.
Full Review: Meliara now fights in a different venue—snubs and hints of a bored and power-hungry court instead of fields of war. Her struggle to acquire the political polish and discern the truth behind the facades of throne claimants proves to be vital for the country.
The romantic subplot, quite obvious from the beginning of the book is rather weak and reduces the strenght of the main character. At least Meliara shows considerable initiative during the book, even if much of the action is verbal, and thus less exciting than Crown Duel. The conclusion picks up the pace, and shows Meliara, and the whole plot, to its best advantage.
A pleasant, but not overly memorable fantasy.
Overall: 5.5; Plot: 5; Characters: 5.5; Style: 5; World-building: 6; Originality: 5.5;
Copyright date 1998, Harcourt Brace & Company (Jane Yolen Books), 1998, Cloth, 245 pages
ISBN: 0-15-201609-0 Order from: Amazon.com