Winter Moon

Anthology

(Re-posted from my old blogger)

Moontide - Author: Mercedes Lackey

I tried to read a Mercedes Lackey book several years ago and for some reason I just couldn't get into it. The writing just didn't hold me. So I put the book down unfinished and put her in the Authors I Can't Read category. Then a while back I saw The Fairy Godmother and decided to go ahead and give it a read. I really enjoyed it and One Good Knight. This novella, Moontide, is set in the same world of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, but does not involve Tradition.

Moira na Ferson, was sent away at a young age to foster with the King's sister, Countess Vrenable by her father, Lord Ferson of Highclere. The intent was that she be taught to be a proper lady and learn the running of a keep, but Countess Vrenable teaches a select few of her charges so much more. The countess is in charge of the Grey Ladies, a group of young ladies who are trained to be everything a lady should be, but are also trained spies and assassins. Moira has been invited to become a Grey Lady, but before she can complete her training, her father calls her back home, where Moira suspects he intends to marry her off. Before Moira leaves Viridian Manor the countess informs her that her father is suspected of treason. Moira, having had no real love for her father, readily agrees to be Countess Vrenable's eyes and ears. Once she returns to Highclere, she begins to see how right the countess' suspicions are. Her father seems to be planning to marry her off to an enemy prince and they make many sly comments about ships sinking in the storms that frequent Highclere. Here father's new Fool seems very interested in all the goings on, but is he a spy for the King or is he working for her father and the prince? Could trusting him see her married to the prince and imprisoned in his harem or will it lead to salvation?

For some reason, of all the characters in this story, the Fool was my favorite. I would have liked to have seen some of the story from his point of view. We were told about his wit, but never got a chance to see it. I liked how Moira handles the whole confrontation with the prince ... well, the aftermath ... and the spying really. It's a lot more realistic than having her be blase about it, as if it's something she does all the time. And really, no matter how much you train or prepare for a situation, you aren't really ready for the reality until it's there in your face.

I'm thinking I might try to branch out ... maybe check out the Obsidian Trilogy?


The Heart of The Moon - Author: Tanith Lee

Clirando is a warrior woman, strong and honorable, who's happy with her life. And why not? She's the leader of her band of warriors, of which her best friend from childhood, Araitha, is a part of and she's got an attractive lover, Thestus. Things couldn't be better, that is, until the night lighting strikes the Temple of the Maiden and, in the scramble to save the roof, she discovers that Araitha and Thestus are having an affair. She challenges them both in battle and wins. They are both shamed and must leave the town of Amnos, but before her ship sails Araitha visits Clirando for a parting shot. She curses Clirando to be filled with emptiness, to find joy in nothing and to sleeplessness, that she may find no rest. Clirando shrugs off the curse and goes on with her life. Until she hears that the ship Araitha was on has sunk. Suddenly she can not sleep, she finds joy in nothing, and there is a burning emptiness inside of her. Clirando and her band are called to go to Moon Isle for the Seven Nights, a festival to honor the moon being full for seven full days. Strange things happen on this island, and sometimes people don't return. The first night there her band sets up camp and Clirando takes the watch, but the impossible happens, she falls asleep. When she wakes up, her band is gone and there is no sign of where they could be. Clirando sets off to find a village or some sign of her girls, but she finds odd creatures who follow her and haunt her with their strange cries. In her trek through the forest she meets Zemetrios, a fellow traveler also looking for a village who wants to share her fire and travel with her. Is he who he says he is? He has a past more painful than hers, which he shares with her. Is he telling the truth or is this some trick. Can she trust him in this place full of ghosts and illusions when those closest to her have betrayed her?

I can't think of a thing that I've read of Tanith Lee's that I did not like. This novella was no exception. I liked that his was about a journey of self-discovery and forgiveness. Both Clirando and Zemetrios had to go a long way to deal with their ghosts and to accept themselves as they were. And I liked that Zemetrios' issues weren't easily settled.


Banshee Cries - Author: C.E. Murphy

This story was described as 1.5 in "The Walker Papers" series. I didn't read Urban Shaman, though it is on my TBR list, so I felt that I was always a bit behind on the story. It wasn't that I couldn't follow the story, but I did feel that a lot of the interpersonal stuff was really lost on me.

I won't give a summary bit about the story because there's so much back story that I'm just missing. I don't feel comfortable doing it.