ISBN: 0-441-00273-0 Order from: Amazon.com
Light-weight fantasy adventure, with magic, politics and murder, and a romantic subplot.
Reviewed by David on February 14, 1999
Genre: Fantasy (High Fantasy)
Synopsis: Rialla, a young horse trainer with fighting skills, returns to Darran, a country where she was once a slave. Once again she will don the hated marks and constraints of slavery, this time by choice to assist in political change that may bring an end to slavery.
While masquerading as a slave, Rialla experiences the danger not only from her old owner, but from the murderous and magical plots to protect the lucrative slave trade. When she and her friend are deliberately framed for a murder, Rialla finds magic both friend and foe, as unexpected allies help her survive against apparently god-aided enemies.
Full Review: The book is named after a board game played in the novel, with the objective of stealing an elaborately carved figure of the mythological creature. Rialla, who (slightly improbably) is an accomplished dancer, an empath and a trained fighter, nonetheless avoids being implausibly superhuman by facing real difficulties, usually caused by determined, intelligent and powerful opponents.
She finds an unusual romantic interest, and spends considerable time hiding, running or pretending, with only brief moments of fighting. The book is mostly a pleasant adventure, with no particular intensity or originality. Nevertheless, it's a fun if short diversion.
Copyright: 1995
Overall: 5.5; Plot: 5.5; Characters: 5.5; Style: 5; World-building: 6; Originality: 5.5;
Berkley Publishing Group (Ace), November 1995, Mass-market, 275 pages
ISBN: 0-441-00273-0 Order from: Amazon.com