Anne Bishop, Shalador’s Lady

Shalador's Lady

Anne Bishop

Roc, Mar 2010, $24.95

ISBN: 9780451463159

When she was Queen the first time, Cassidy of Bhad was too weak and plain so her retinue deserted her to join the stronger court of much prettier and more powerful Queen Kermilla. At the same she is dethroned, the deceitful Queens ignored the honorable Rules of the Blood and ruin Dena Nehele leading to revolt. Warlord Prince Theran Grayhaven desperately needs a partner to regain their lost rule so he and demoted Lady Cassidy marry making her the Queen of Dena Nehele. Shockingly she cleans the immediate territory of the tainted blood.

As the Rose-Jeweled Queen Cassidy expands her efforts to cleanse the entire realm and affirm she deserves being the ruler. Aiden the bard and his beloved Lyra the Muse know their world is in imminent peril. They fail to rouse the Fae and the sisterhood of witches to heed their warning of pending disaster. Desperate they must find a Fae who will listen and act.

This is an exciting quest fantasy with a wonderful frustrated couple who meet rejection, indifference, and denial on their journey to save the realm. Cassidy continues to grow in moral fiber (as does Theran), which enables her to grow in power to cleanse the land of the taint. Fans of the long running Black Jewels saga will relish this terrific entry; newcomers need to at least read the previous entry The Shadow Queen to better understand the action-packed entry though perusing previous books would be even better as Anne Bishop paints a complex realm.

Harriet Klausner