P.C. Hodgell, To Ride a Rathorn

To Ride a Rathorn

P.C. Hodgell

Meisha Merlin, Sep 2006, $26.95

ISBN: 1592221025

Ever since Jame returned from the Perimal Darkling, she has wanted to find a person or place to belong to. She hasn't found any with her brother, who fears her Shanir blood and rejects the concept that he has it too. The Matriarch doesn't accept her because she is too independent of a free-thinker. As a last resort, Tori names her his heir and sends her to the College of Tentir.

From the time Jame arrives at Tentir, her enemies try to force her out as they are horrified by her Old Blood symbolized by her claws instead of nails. She has to fight supposed friends, allies and adversaries to keep her place at the times of the culling. Jame has to also tame a Rathorn, who wants to kill her because she accidentally blood-binded him to her. He is starving himself to death, which means she cannot eat either because of their tie. Her only hope to survive is to RIDE A RATHORN and thus gives him the will to live. Her efforts to make Tori face the truth continually fails, but Jame refuses to quit because she wants them back their old relationship before they were forcibly separated.

This feels like an in-between book that concentrates on everyday details of Jame's life instead of world changing events or sword and sorcery battles. P.C. Hodgell has created a world vivid with depth that leaves the audience feeling as if they have been there. Readers will enjoy Jame's escapades as she jumps from one catastrophe to another but the audience will pity Tori who goes through the motions of living, but actually barely exists because he is unable to accept the truth about himself.

Harriet Klausner