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kittenscribble's review
3.0
I think this may be out of print; I found it used and yellowing. Nevertheless it's a fine example of the swordswoman/sorceress genre encouraged by Marion Zimmer Bradley, back in the day. The story provides a glimpse of a pretty neat world in which the sorcerers apparently occupy a sort of self-imposed lower class, and the warriors are rough, tough women. The ladies are not to be messed with, but they still take a definite second place to the priests and the lords. Probably pretty groundbreaking when it was first written. As for the story, it gets three stars due to clumsy characterization and a too-predictable deus ex machina near the end. Still, an enjoyable and riveting adventure tale.
wordnerdy's review
2.0
https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2021/11/2021-book-233.html
I had read another book by this author that fell into the quiet fantasy sort of category, and I was hoping for more of the same here. We start with grumpy, rude, crude warrior Thorn, pregnant and trying to afford an abortion, when she encounters sorceress Frostflower, who offers to speed-grow the fetus and adopt the child, as sorcerers must be virgins to access their power and this is her only way to have a child. So here I am hoping for an odd couple sort of story where they road trip around and have adventures in babysitting, except they keep bringing up that whole virgin thing and soon the entire book is just suffused with dread. And it’s a slow paced book so the dread is just always THERE. Content warning for rape and torture by a dude who is creepily gentle about it all bc of his creepy religion, and when I tell you I spent the rest of the book praying for him to die painfully…. I don’t know why I kept reading except to ensure they got away from him. And also there’s a sequel which I am hoping doesn’t involve any rapey farmer priests. B-.
I had read another book by this author that fell into the quiet fantasy sort of category, and I was hoping for more of the same here. We start with grumpy, rude, crude warrior Thorn, pregnant and trying to afford an abortion, when she encounters sorceress Frostflower, who offers to speed-grow the fetus and adopt the child, as sorcerers must be virgins to access their power and this is her only way to have a child. So here I am hoping for an odd couple sort of story where they road trip around and have adventures in babysitting, except they keep bringing up that whole virgin thing and soon the entire book is just suffused with dread. And it’s a slow paced book so the dread is just always THERE. Content warning for rape and torture by a dude who is creepily gentle about it all bc of his creepy religion, and when I tell you I spent the rest of the book praying for him to die painfully…. I don’t know why I kept reading except to ensure they got away from him. And also there’s a sequel which I am hoping doesn’t involve any rapey farmer priests. B-.
bookbrig's review
2.0
I first read the sequel to this years and years ago, and it was a good quick read with really great worldbuilding. I saw this in a used bookshop the other day, so I picked it up to read the beginning of the story. It has the same lovely worldbuilding, but it was a good deal more violent than Frostflower and Windborn. And I just don't think I was really in the mood for this story right now.
Also, I completely love the dated cover featuring the warrior and sorceress. It's kind of the best part of the book.
Also, I completely love the dated cover featuring the warrior and sorceress. It's kind of the best part of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
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