Daughter of Redwinter, by Ed McDonald (Tor)
What a great read! From the first page, this book grabbed me
and carried me along. Superb action, wonderful characters, ever-escalating
stakes, and mystery. The story opens with Raine, our heroine, creeping out the
back way from a monastery under military siege, looking for an escape route,
only to encounter a mysterious wounded woman who is desperate to get back in.
On the woman’s heels are a group of warrior-magicians, bent on stopping her
even if it means tearing down the walls. The military besiegers are willing to
aid the magicians, but what they’re after is inside — people with “grave-sight”
that allows them to see, and sometimes speak with, the dead. Raine is one of
those with the talent that means execution, should it be discovered. All her
life she has hidden, lied, and run away to save her skin, and she’s made some
spectacularly bad choices along the way.
The book was full of drama and poignant emotion, hard-bitten
action and sweet romance. The balance between slowly unfolding mystery,
lightning reversals and betrayals, and coming of age of a most remarkable
heroine was exceptionally well handled. Most of all, from the very first
paragraphs, I found myself relaxing into the hands of a master storyteller,
confident that wherever the tale took me, it would be a wild and infinitely
satisfying ride. I was never disappointed.
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