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Elizabeth Vaughan
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Publisher | Gollancz | ||
ISBN | 978-057508030 | ||
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Reviewer
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Ann
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Synopsis
Xylara is a Daughter of Xy, brought up to do her duty to her country, her king and her people. Her father, the Warrior King Xyron, is dead and her incompetent half-brother Xymund is on the throne; she has chosen to serve her people as a healer, until she is needed to make a marriage of alliance. But the once-great kingdom of Xy is threatened by the Warlord and his barbarian Firelanders, and her brother Xymund is forced to surrender. The terms are fair: the kingdom will remain under Xymund's control, and the taxes and tithes are reasonable. All prisoners and wounded are to be exchanged unharmed. There is just one thing more: to ensure a true peace - no pillaging, no looting, no rapine - the Warlord has claimed tribute. He claims Xylara, Daughter of Xy, to be his Warprize ...
Review
The genre is romantic fantasy, and a warprize is ...but I can't tell you without spoiling the story for you !
This is a tightly crafted beautiful piece of story telling, reminiscent of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsong novels and Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series. The clash of cultures that arises when the Firelanders - tent living, horse riding so called barbarians - conquer the old established Kingdom of Xy is comprehensively examined, with Lara, the Daughter of the Blood as the courageous heroine.
Deeply satisfying, a tale of honour, loyalty and of love. Once started, this book has to be finished, but as it's a series, there will, thank goodness, be more !
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