ISBN: 0-679-88288-X Order from: Amazon.com
A pleasant, if rather typical, juvenile fantasy with a plucky young heroine, friendship, physical and magical struggles, and friendship.
Reviewed by David on June 20, 1999 (rev. 1)
Genre: Fantasy (Sword and Sorcery, Juvenile, Coming of Age, Intrigue)
Synopsis: When the horse-master Onua Chamtong looked for a helper, she didn't expect to hire a young, hurt teenage girl. But Daine, despite her age and bitterness, can handle horses better than anyone Onua has ever seen. When the two run into difficulties on the road to the seat of King Jonothan, Daine proves to be not only remarkably good with a bow, but also extraordinarily attuned to the animals. Her difficult-to-control talent seems of slight value to the powerful mages and brave knights of the Royal Court. However, Daine's role can becomes critical when enemies attack with immortal creatures that have been little more than a legend.
Full Review: Daine is a typical outcast, shy teenage fantasy hero, little aware of her own worth. With her magical rapport with the beasts, it's her relationship with the humans that present difficulties. However, she is a pleasant, competent protagonist, rarely engaging in excessive angst. When she helps to save the day, her relationship with her friends remains pleasant, with a mixture of insecurity, humor and attraction.
The novel is a pleasant, and largely self-contained start for a very good juvenile fantasy series, which continues in Wolf-Speaker.
Universe: Tortall
Overall: 6; Plot: 5.5; Characters: 6; Style: 6; World-building: 6; Originality: 5;
Copyright date 1992, Random House, 1997, Mass market paperback, 299 pages
ISBN: 0-679-88288-X Order from: Amazon.com