Sword-Dancer
(The Sword-Dancer Saga, Book 1)
Jennifer Roberson
DAW
Fiction, Fantasy
****
DESCRIPTION: Sandtiger is a legendary sword-dancer, skilled in the use of his blade and renowned throughout the Southron realms. Delilah, or Del, is an enigma, a rare woman sword-dancer from the North who bears a strange, rune-marked blade. She came south seeking her brother, stolen by raiders and sold into Southron slavery five years ago, and if the legendary Sandtiger won't help her find him, she'll tear the desert apart by hand and do it herself. Tiger has never met anyone like Del before, but he feels bound to help her in her impossible quest, with or without the promise of gold for his troubles.
REVIEW: This was different, a fantasy with a definite twist that separates it from the typical swordfighter tale. Humorous and dark, serious and light... it's hard to describe, but the story was entertaining and captivating, with compelling characters and a plot that's never dull. The only real drawback is that it's the first of a series, and, while it wraps up most of its story in this book, just enough is left over that one feels almost obliged to pick up the second volume... just to see what happens.
You might also enjoy:
The Sword of Shannara (Terry Brooks, Fiction - A young country man from a backwater town may be the only one able to stop a great evil)
Pawn of Prophecy (David Eddings, Fiction - A farm boy with an odd birthmark must find his noble destiny before an evil god destroys the world)
The Crown of Stars series (Kate Elliot, Fiction - Political unrest and inhuman raiders presage a greater evil)
The Sword of Truth series (Terry Goodkind, Fiction - A cranky wizard, a woodland guide, and a mysterious woman face terrible dark forces)
Any of Elizabeth Haydon's works (Elizabeth Haydon, YA Fiction and Fiction - Epic fantasy and adventure in a well-realized fantasy world)
Dune (Frank Herbert, Fiction - The interstellar human civilization relies on life-extending spice from desert Arrakis)
Any of Robin Hobb's fantasy series (Robin Hobb, Fiction - Well-crafted fantasy tales in well-crafted worlds)
The Tough Guide to Fantasyland (Diana Wynne Jones, Fiction - A humorous tour guide to epic fantasy worlds)
The Wheel of Time series (Robert Jordan, Fiction - Evil awakes and threatens a peaceful realm)
A Song of Ice and Fire series (George R. R. Martin, Fiction - World-spanning epic tale of wars and kings, good and evil, and a few dragons for good measure)
Tortall quartets (Tamora Pierce, YA Fiction - Tales of adventure in a magical world)
The Kingkiller Chronicle (Patrick Rothfuss, Fiction - A living legend, now hiding behind a pseudonym as a quiet innkeeper, relates the story of a young life gone wrong)
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (J. R. R. Tolkien, Fiction - The classic epic tale of Hobbits, Elves, Men, wizards, and Middle-Earth)
The Death Gate Cycle (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Fiction - An epic fantasy spanning seven worlds)
The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy(Tad Williams, Fiction - A scullion-boy finds himself in the middle of an epic tale involving kings, monsters, the elflike Sithi, and a threat to the whole of the land of Osten Ard)
The Shadowmarch series (Tad Williams, Fiction - The Eddon twins, Prince Barrick and Princess Briony, stand between the threat of faerie Qar to the north and the brutal god-king Autarch to the south)
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Sword-Singer
(The Sword-Dancer Saga, Book 1)
Jennifer Roberson
DAW
Fiction, Fantasy
****
DESCRIPTION: Del is returning to her Northern homeland, to face trial in the Place of Swords for the slaying of her an-kaidin, or swordmaster. With her travels Sandtiger, arguably the best sword-dancer of the Southern deserts. He has never been even to the Borderlands before, but for Del he is willing to endure the hardships of the North. Almost as soon as they cross the border, trouble finds them. From angered loki-spirits to all-too-human demons from Del's past, the road to the trial may be at least as dangerous as the trial itself. Sandtiger never wanted to believe in magic, be it sorcery or even the magic of the Northron jivatmas, or blooding-blades, but the unwary skeptic in the North often dies a painful death...
REVIEW: Yet another enjoyable installment in the adventures of Tiger and Del. Lively writing and near-nonstop action combine with memorable characters and well described settings. My only objection is the ending. Unlike the end of Book 1, where we had a conclusion with a bit of a hook for the second volume, I now have to buy Book 3 as soon as possible. No, it's not an option. I need to know what happens now... (I bought it, but unfortunately the house ate it before I could read it. I'm still searching...)
You might also enjoy:
The Sword of Shannara (Terry Brooks, Fiction - A young country man from a backwater town may be the only one able to stop a great evil)
Pawn of Prophecy (David Eddings, Fiction - A farm boy with an odd birthmark must find his noble destiny before an evil god destroys the world)
The Crown of Stars series (Kate Elliot, Fiction - Political unrest and inhuman raiders presage a greater evil)
The Sword of Truth series (Terry Goodkind, Fiction - A cranky wizard, a woodland guide, and a mysterious woman face terrible dark forces)
Any of Elizabeth Haydon's works (Elizabeth Haydon, YA Fiction and Fiction - Epic fantasy and adventure in a well-realized fantasy world)
Dune (Frank Herbert, Fiction - The interstellar human civilization relies on life-extending spice from desert Arrakis)
Any of Robin Hobb's fantasy series (Robin Hobb, Fiction - Well-crafted fantasy tales in well-crafted worlds)
The Tough Guide to Fantasyland (Diana Wynne Jones, Fiction - A humorous tour guide to epic fantasy worlds)
The Wheel of Time series (Robert Jordan, Fiction - Evil awakes and threatens a peaceful realm)
A Song of Ice and Fire series (George R. R. Martin, Fiction - World-spanning epic tale of wars and kings, good and evil, and a few dragons for good measure)
Tortall quartets (Tamora Pierce, YA Fiction - Tales of adventure in a magical world)
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (J. R. R. Tolkien, Fiction - The classic epic tale of Hobbits, Elves, Men, wizards, and Middle-Earth)
The Death Gate Cycle (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Fiction - An epic fantasy spanning seven worlds)
The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy(Tad Williams, Fiction - A scullion-boy finds himself in the middle of an epic tale involving kings, monsters, the elflike Sithi, and a threat to the whole of the land of Osten Ard)
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