ISBN: 0-76532163-7 Order from: Amazon.com
The solid worldbuilding is competing with a slow and rather weak plot, ending up in a disappointing foundation to a possibly promising series.
Reviewed by David on May 17, 2009
Genre: Fantasy (Politics, Cloak and Dagger, Magic, Mystery)
Synopsis: Mykella is the oldest daughter of the ruler of Lanachrona, a powerful county in the world of Corus. Mykella is intelligent, talented and hard-working, but despite her prestige, she has little leverage in the world of intrigue surrounding the court. As time goes by, she finds evidence of plots and wrongdoing, but she has little ability to stop them. As if the political and criminal enemies were not enough, Mykella seems to be the only one becoming aware of mystical dangers to the kingdom.
Full Review: In this novel, the author shows Corean politics centuries before the Corean Chronicles (Legacies, etc.), but long after the events in Alector's Choice. Mykella is an interesting character: intelligent, perceptive and persistent. The world around her, Corus, and particularly the country of Lanachrona, is well defined, with lots of political structure and hints of plots.
Initially, Mykella develops well, finding new things and becoming a fair amateur sleuth. But as her findings keep falling on deaf ears, the frustration mounts, not only for the character, but for the reader. We are forced, along with Mykella to be a passive observer of the evolving plot. Ultimately, this contributes to boredom rather than excitement.
At the end, there is more action by the protagonist, but it comes very late and abruptly. Overall, as a stand-alone book the slow plot makes for a less-than-satisfying novel. If this is to be the first of a series, then it might be more acceptable as the opening in the larger development of Mykella and her country.
Copyright: 2008
Universe: Corean Chronicles
Overall: 5; Plot: 4.5; Characters: 5; Style: 5.5; World-building: 6.5; Originality: 5.5;
Tom Doherty Associates (Tor), November 2008, Cloth
ISBN: 0-76532163-7 Order from: Amazon.com