Kathleen Bryan, The Serpent and the Rose

The Serpent and the Rose

Kathleen Bryan

Tor, Mar 2007, $24.95

ISBN 0765313286

A thousand years ago in the Kingdom of Lys, followers of the Young God imprisoned the malevolent Serpent. Over the ensuing centuries, peace and prosperity flourished. However recently, the forces of the incarcerated Serpent, clandestinely led by Lys King Clodovec, have begun a coup to destroy the Young God's supporters, the Knights of the Rose and Ladies of the Isle, so that they can liberate their deity and return the evil one to the power usurped from him.

The Duke of Quitaine Urien leads the supporters of the Young God, but is poisoned by Clodovec. The King knows he must also eliminate Urien's daughter Averil, a powerful mage trained by the Ladies of the Isle. She flees with the aid of the Knights of the Rose; on her trek to safety, she meets commoner Gereint, an untrained, powerful magician. Meanwhile, as the Serpent's minions grow stronger and appear ready to conquer, allies Averil and Gereint turn to the magical taboo by trying to cut a deal with the ancient ones. If they defeat the Serpent's horde, it would leave them vulnerable to their new partners.

This is a terrific opening epic fantasy due to a powerful, fully-developed cast on both sides of the Godly dispute. The storyline obviously sets the stage for the confrontations in the future novels, but also provides a deep plot of insidious betrayal from within leading to a need for the heroine to escape to fight another day. Kathleen Bryan provides a wonderful first tale in the War between Order and Chaos.

Harriet Klausner