Cecilia Dart-Thornton, The Bitterbynde Trilogy

Cecilia Dart-Thornton, The Bitterbynde Trilogy - Several years ago now, I was wandering around in my local "Book Superstore", a bit bored with the fantasy section and noticed really the cover of the first of the series "The Ill-Made Mute". On reading the cover note and finding it not only the first of a trilogy but the first published novel of this Australian-based authoress, curiosity got the better of me. Now normally I wait until the books are in paperback before buying but, give it a go said I.

I have to say the book was slightly difficult to get into over the first few chapters, but fairly quickly the world created by the author came alive.

What has followed is a romantic epic establishing a world of wonders and terrors, tragedy and survival, fantasy figures from other realms.

The central character in Book 1 appears to be a mute lad. However this illusion begins to become just that as the lad turns out to be a terified girl, with no recollection of her name, or past. In fact, almost a blank canvas. "Imrhien" as she gets called passes through many adventures over the set of three books. As her memory comes back over time in "The Lady of the Sorrows" she continues on her quest to discover who she really is. This all culminates in both major disapointments, battles and then finally a romantic and most plausible ending.

An extremely good first ever trilogy in this demanding genre that puts this lady author almost on the same level as Robin Hobb. To quote from the very respected Tanith Lee, "I extend the plea; More! More!"