VOYA
On his deathbed, Elissa's young husband names her as regent, the one to protect the kingdom of Albor until their fiveyear-old son comes of age. The dying king might truly have wanted Elissa to act as regent, or he might have named her only to unite the Privy Council in support of the more likely candidate for the position, the marshal Geoffrey. Because women in Albor normally have no power, Elissa must prove herself constantly to protect her son and daughter. With the help of Geoffrey, her only ally in the court, and her uncle, who is her advisor in the realm of sorcery that she must learn secretly, Elissa attempts to rule the kingdom. Using both her swordfighting skills and her magical powers, she successfully thwarts different plots and conspiracies from inside and outside Albor as she puts aside the feelings she has for the married Geoffrey. Various unresolved loose ends and a rather abrupt ending suggest that there will be a sequel to this book, which would have benefited from better editing. Names of some secondary characters changeonce even on the same pageand sweeping generalizations, such as "women cry when they are hurting or upset or lonely," appear throughout the story. The action surrounding the conspiracies is fast paced, but it takes a while to get started. An adequate addition to a fantasy collection, this book is not a necessary purchase. Reviewer: Karen Herc
Genre: Fantasy
On his deathbed, Elissa's young husband names her as regent, the one to protect the kingdom of Albor until their fiveyear-old son comes of age. The dying king might truly have wanted Elissa to act as regent, or he might have named her only to unite the Privy Council in support of the more likely candidate for the position, the marshal Geoffrey. Because women in Albor normally have no power, Elissa must prove herself constantly to protect her son and daughter. With the help of Geoffrey, her only ally in the court, and her uncle, who is her advisor in the realm of sorcery that she must learn secretly, Elissa attempts to rule the kingdom. Using both her swordfighting skills and her magical powers, she successfully thwarts different plots and conspiracies from inside and outside Albor as she puts aside the feelings she has for the married Geoffrey. Various unresolved loose ends and a rather abrupt ending suggest that there will be a sequel to this book, which would have benefited from better editing. Names of some secondary characters changeonce even on the same pageand sweeping generalizations, such as "women cry when they are hurting or upset or lonely," appear throughout the story. The action surrounding the conspiracies is fast paced, but it takes a while to get started. An adequate addition to a fantasy collection, this book is not a necessary purchase. Reviewer: Karen Herc
Genre: Fantasy
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