Patricia McKillip, Lynn Kurland, Sharon Shinn and Claire Delacroix, To Weave a Web of Magic Review

Overall Rating

To Weave a Web of Magic
Patricia McKillip, Lynn Kurland, Sharon Shinn, and Claire Delacroix
Berkley, Jul 2004, $12.00, 368 pp.
ISBN: 0843951443

Patricia McKillip. Artist Harry Waterman feels like a failure because he lacks a muse to motivate him. That changes when Medusa calls him from a painting he drew. She plans to inspire him by pointing to a model Jo who vanished.

Lynn Kurland. Using a cloaking spell, part Elfin Maher flees from her father because she refuses to wed her sire's choice of a spouse for her. Her father Robert wants to forge an alliance with Hagarth through his daughter. She refuses and seeks the help of King Harold to learn how to use a book of spells she possesses. However, her father insists she is a valuable asset to further his ambitions.

Sharon Shinn. In Samaria, Jesse the fallen angel desires the young Manadavvi woman who returns his love. However, her mother insists her family is too important to have her marry a loser insisting the daughter will wed into a wealthy family or the next Archangel.

Claire Delacroix. An elderly woman overhears two gossips discuss Melusine, a demon who chose to live in the mortal world to cast her evil influence on Raymond who she married and had ten children with him. The old woman informs the two women that Melusine came to this world out of love for Raymond. Is she a malevolent devil or a female in love?

All four well-written romantic fantasies contain solid lead characters though in a couple of the tales the antagonist pales in comparison. Sub-genre fans will appreciate the quartet as all fun to read.

Harriet Klausner